The Choral BTS clip gives sneak peak of Ralph Fiennes in new Alan Bennett period drama

Ralph Fiennes has been having a busy time of late – with major big screen roles in Conclave, The Return and 28 Years Later in the last year or so – and early next month he's got the lead part in another new film.

The Choral is a World War I-set drama directed by Nicholas Hytner and penned by legendary playwright Alan Bennett – the latest in a long line of collaborations between the pair after the likes of The History Boys and The Lady in the Van.

The new film sees Fiennes star as the chorus master of a Yorkshire-based Choral Society which has lost most of its members to the war effort, with Mark Addy, Roger Allam and Simon Russell Beale among the supporting cast.

And ahead of release, RadioTimes.com can exclusively launch a short documentary, which takes us behind the scenes of the film, including plenty of interesting insights from those involved. You can watch it above.

"Alan Bennett gave me a sketch of what he thought was a play called The Choral," Hytner reveals at the beginning of the video. "I knew immediately that it wasn't a play – it felt like a film."

Later, Bennett himself explains: "The thing I'm good at is dialogue. If you can catch the way somebody speaks, you can catch their inner being really."

Meanwhile, Fiennes refers to Bennett as "the most lovable and approachable person" and adds that "his standing, especially in theatre and film, in spoken comedy, is huge".

He adds: "The combination of Nick and Alan is that there's a wonderful, sort of, familial atmosphere on set. It's an ensemble piece, I would say."

We also hear for those responsible for the film's music, with composer arranger George Fenton remarking that Hytner is "super musical" and that "he's so sure about what he wants and what he does." Co music director Tom Brady adds, "He understands the boundaries and the parameters of music."

Throughout, you can also see snippets of footage from the film in addition to interviews with stars Amara Okereke, Emily Fairn, Jacob Dudman and Simon Russel Beale, cinematographer Mike Eley, costume designer Jenny Beaven and producer Kevin Loader.

The official synopsis for the film reads: "As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral’s ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males to swell their ranks.

"They must also engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet seems to be Dr Henry Guthrie (Fiennes) – driven, uncompromising, and recently returned from a career in Germany.

"As conscription papers start to arrive, the whole community discovers that the best response to the chaos that is laying waste to their lives is to make music together."

The Choral is released in UK cinemas on Friday 7th November 2025.

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